The Washington Post reports that Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman were notified in December that the Department of Justice is investigating the Coast Guard's Deepwater modernization project. The notice did not specify whether the inquiry was a civil or criminal investigation but said it would focus on communication and technology systems, a patrol boat program and development of the national security cutter.

Yesterday, the full House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a hearing on Compliance with Requirements of the Coast Guard's Deepwater Contract that included what Chairman James L. Oberstar described as "charges of serious management failings in contract execution and oversight among all the parties involved in Deepwater."

You can access a summary of the subject matter of the hearing and witnesses written statements HERE.